In this article, we’re going to embark on an exciting journey to create a static website using WordPress, all while keeping it fast, secure, and budget-friendly. We’ll be focusing on the powerful combination of Breakdance, a versatile page builder, and Kinsta, a robust cloud hosting platform.
Before we dive into the details, let’s address the question: Why should you consider transitioning your WordPress site to a static one? Static websites offer a range of benefits, especially when it comes to security and performance. They are ideal for smaller websites and presentation sites, which often do not require frequent updates. By moving to a static site, you can enjoy enhanced security, improved performance, and hassle-free maintenance, all while cutting hosting costs.
To start our journey, let’s get acquainted with Breakdance Page Builder. It’s a remarkable page builder designed specifically for WordPress. With a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and over 130 customizable elements, it allows you to create stunning websites quickly and easily. Whether you’re building sites for your clients or working on your projects, Breakdance can significantly streamline the design process.
In this article you will find a Breakdance review to see exactly what is and how it can help you build powerful websites fast and easy.
Now, let’s move on to the main event—how to migrate a Breakdance website to a full static site using Kinsta. We’ll walk you through the steps to achieve this transition successfully. Please note that we assume you’ve already configured your WordPress site accordingly.
First, we have a test website hosted on Kinsta. It’s currently an empty index page. We’re about to transform this into a beautiful, fully functional static site.
You can check the Revolutionize Your Website Deployment: Free WordPress Static Site on Kinsta to see how you can create everything.
Before migrating, it’s crucial to optimize your WordPress site for the transition. This involves disabling unnecessary features and elements that won’t be needed in the static version. In our case, we’ve disabled the Gutenberg editor, Oembeds, and other non-essential components. This ensures that your static site remains lean and fast. Breakdance it’s offering this by default so you just need to go under Settings – Performance.
To create a static version of your website, we’ll be using the Simply Static plugin. This plugin simplifies the process of generating static files from your dynamic WordPress site. You can find detailed information about configuring Simply Static in my previous video (link provided in the description).
After configuring Simply Static, you can initiate the process of generating your static website. This should complete relatively quickly, depending on the size and complexity of your site. In our case, the process was finished in a mere 8 seconds.
Once the static site is generated, it’s time to push all the changes to your chosen repository. This step is crucial for ensuring that your static site remains up to date with your content. By connecting your repository to Kinsta, you can automatically deploy changes.
git add .
git commit -m "static content"
git push --force -u origin mainWith everything in place, you can now test your site to ensure it looks and functions as expected. Your static site should mirror the original site, complete with animations, dynamic sections, and even a contact form. The contact form may require an external service, as the default Breakdance form builder may not work in a static environment. We’ve opted for AIDAForms, a free option for creating and embedding online forms on your website.
Now if everything is in order you can go and add a custom domain in Kinsta it allows you do add 100. You just need to verify it and add a CNAME at the end to point to the Kinsta static website
In conclusion, you’ve successfully transformed your WordPress site into a fast and secure static website, and you’re ready to enjoy the benefits. Your static site’s performance rivals that of a traditional WordPress site, yet it requires less maintenance and eliminates hosting costs. If you have a small website or a presentation site that doesn’t require frequent updates, this conversion can be a game-changer.
We hope you found this tutorial helpful. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and like the video. Thank you for watching, and see you in the next video!